Read local reaction here to UIL’s ruling on swine flu outbreak

Here is a sampling of what local coaches are saying following the University Interscholastic League’s decision to suspend all athletic activities until at least May 11 because of the swine flu outbreak.

Unless the UIL’s decision is amended, track and field is affected much worse than baseball or softball by the suspension of activities.

All regional meets have been canceled. The top four performers in each event from each region, based on results at district meets, will advance to Austin.

Here are some of the coaches’ comments:

Jerry Killen, Dawson girls track coach

“I think what’s going to happen is that we’ll probably lose our 4 by 4 (1,600-meter relay), and that’s the relay I think is strongest. It will probably knock out a high jumper (Jennifer Bush), too. Another thing is, what is the UIL going to do with ties?

“Without a doubt, we’re affected much worse (than some other district meets). We were running against the wind in the 100 and 200, and therefore, didn’t have very good times.

“I didn’t even have my best leg running on my 4 by 4, and we still won. I think maybe the best triple jumper in 4A (Alexis Brennan) Beaumont Ozen is staying home. She won her district meet at 36-9 and I think she’ll have the fifth best jump, and won’t qualify for state.

“This will probably be the most interesting state meet they’ve ever had.

“I think we should have the regional meet on May 14, and then next week hold the state meet. We’re still in school and it won’t be affecting anything. I would have never thought they’d cancel the regional meet.”

Vincent Hypolite, Dawson boys track coach:

“The best thing I can say is that I think the UIL will do their best to accommodate everyone. We’re going to have some kids that will get left off, and we’ll have some kids go to Austin that may not have had that opportunity.

“We’re just going to have to live with it and do the best we can. I think you’ll have some potential state champions that will stay home. I know some of them that won’t even get to go to state that were defending regional champions.

“You have a lot of kids that are so far ahead of competitors in their district and do so much for their team, but they back off some, still get first place, but don’t go for their best time.

“Most of these kids are conserving energy for the next relays. And some teams don’t run their best relays at district, either, because they’re trying to get as many of their kids involved and still win.

“You move kids around from different events, and they compete “smart”, and therefore you won’t always see their best times.”

Laneigh Clark, Pearland softball coach:

“I’ve never been in this situation before, but I guess everybody is in the same boat. They (UIL) obviously think they’re doing what’s right for the students and the student-athletes. I think we’ll be affected by it. We’ll just have to see how. Kids are kids. We’ll just keep doing the same things we’ve done throughout the year.”

Steve Van Meter, Friendswood athletic director:

“When the commissioner of the state health services made their recommendation to the UIL, the UIL didn’t have a choice but to agree with it. When you try to gather hundreds of athletes from across one region to one site, the potential would be great to spread (swine flu) if one kid was affected. It’s just an unfortunate situation.

“I’m not criticizing the UIL, but it’s not fair for a kid like Austin Slone (Friendswood track athlete). He won the triple jump in his district at 45 feet, maybe 46. Last week, he jumped 48 feet at the regional qualifiers meet which puts him in the elite of the state. He’s jumping his best right now - he’s peaking.

“Or what about some districts running 100 meter dashes with a 30 MPH tailwind and others running into a 10 MPH headwind? I mean, that’s not fair. But I don’t know how else you do it.

The logisitics of moving the state meet were probably impossible with hotel reservations, etc. And the University of Texas probably had something planned the following week.

“I think that we’ll definitely see a lot of potential state champions that never make it to the state meet. But I don’t know what else you could do. I never remember any situation like this before.”